Scottish Executive

Civil Servants

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful candidates for posts in the (a) Scottish Office and (b) Scottish Administration in each of the last five years were appointed from (i) within the Scottish Office, (ii) within the Scottish Executive, (iii) elsewhere within the civil service, (iv) public sector employment other than the civil service, (v) the private sector and (vi) being unemployed.

Mr Andy Kerr: The specific information requested can not be provided due to disproportionate costs. However, we can provide the following:

  Vacant Posts Filled within Scottish Executive Core Departments: 1999-2000 to 2001-02

  
 Year
Method of Filling Post 
(ii) Internal Staff Moves
(iii) Staff Transferring from other Government Departments/Agencies
(iv), (v), (vi) External Appointments 
1999-2000 1,137
251 423
 2000-01
1,121 248
424  2001-02
1,127 259
487

Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify any discrepancy between the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 schedule 1 which states that assisting with the preparation of food will not be ordinarily charged for and its guidance to councils CCD4/2002 issued on 12 April which indicates that food preparation is a service for which a charge can be made.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive do not believe that there is any discrepancy between the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 schedule 1 and the subsequent guidance CCD/4/2002 issued to councils on the implementation of the policy.

Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns that local authorities are not interpreting its guidance on the application of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 uniformly.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Scottish Executive and local authorities worked together to develop the guidance to ensure there was fair and consistent implementation across Scotland. Monitoring arrangements have been established to ensure this is achieved.

Culture

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27155 by Mike Watson on 22 July 2002, which representatives of the music industry the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport met in June 2002.

Mike Watson: I met with the following representatives of the music industry in Scotland on 25 June 2002:

  Barry Wright, Regular Music; Geoff Ellis, Df Concerts; Sheena Wellington, traditional singer; Ronnie Gurr, Dig Media Ltd; Jay Crawford, Real Radio; Adam Armit, Jewel & Esk Valley College; Arthur Cormack, Feisean; Ian Smith, Musician's Union; Louise Mitchell, Glasgow Cultural Enterprises; Heather Duncan, BT Scottish Ensemble; Charles Smith, Performing Right Society, Scotland; Duncan McCrone, Mechanical Copyright Protection Society; Philip Hobbs, Linn Records; Tommy Smith, Jazz Musician; Ian Green, Greentrax Recordings; Lisa Whytock, Active; Rab Noakes, Neon Productions and Ian Hamilton, Highland Enterprise.

  Nod Knowles, Head of Music, the Scottish Arts Council, was also present.

Culture

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27155 by Mike Watson on 22 July 2002, what the timescale is for establishing the music industry forum.

Mike Watson: I am taking this commitment forward and the forum will be established as soon as is practicable.

Digital Technology

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of households are connected to the internet and how this percentage compares with other countries in the rest of the world.

Hugh Henry: The latest statistics for Scotland as a whole show that over the financial year 2001-02, 36%   of households had access to the internet from home. This compares with 41% of households in England, 31% of households in Wales, 31% of households in Northern Ireland and 40% of households across the UK.

  The same survey (ONS Expenditure and Food Survey) estimated that 24% of households in Scotland had access to the internet in financial year 2000-01.

  In order to make comparisons between different countries it is necessary that the surveys used to collect the information use harmonised questions. There are to date no European wide surveys that collect information in a comparable form to the ONS survey.

Digital Technology

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the population have access to an e-mail address at (a) home and (b) work and how these percentages compare with (i) the rest of Europe and (ii) other countries in the rest of the world.

Hugh Henry: There are no statistics available for the percentage of the population with access to an e-mail address, at home at work, in Scotland or in other countries. Theoretically, anyone can have access to an e-mail address if they have access to the internet via a variety of technologies ranging from PCs, digital TV, WAP mobile phones, video game consoles or handheld computers.

  Some surveys do measure use of e-mail (rather than access) and in Scotland, for those people that have home access to the internet, more than 75% use e-mail (Scottish Household Survey (SHS) 2001).

  In order to make comparisons between different countries, it is necessary that the surveys used to collect the information use harmonised questions. There are to date no European wide surveys that collect information in a comparable form to the SHS survey.

  The Scottish Executive is also working with local authorities to ensure that all secondary school children have individual access to e-mail and that primary school children have access to either an individual or class e-mail address.

Digital Technology

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of businesses have websites and how this percentage compares with businesses in (a) the rest of Europe and (b) other countries in the rest of the world.

Iain Gray: The latest international e-business benchmarking figures (weighted by number of employees) show that 76% of Scottish businesses have a website, which is on a par with comparable countries. The survey covered nine other countries, plus the UK as a whole and the percentage of their businesses that have a website are shown in the table:

  
 Sweden
80%  UK
80%  Germany
78%  US
77%  Scotland
76%  Canada
73%  Rep. of Ireland
64%  Australia
60%  Japan
58%  Italy
58%  France
56% 

  Source: 2001 e-business benchmarking survey for Scottish Enterprise.

Digital Technology

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of companies conduct the majority of their business on the internet and how this percentage compares with other (a) European nations and (b) countries in the rest of the world.

Iain Gray: According to Scottish Enterprise’s e-business benchmarking survey for Scotland, 20% of Scottish businesses are trading online, but figures are not available for the percentage of these that do more than 50% of all their transactions online. However, it can be calculated from the survey data that 3% of Scottish businesses make more than 50% (by value) of their sales via online orders, and that 5.8% of Scottish businesses order more than 50% (by value) of their supplies online. The comparative figures (weighted by number of employees) for the other benchmarked countries are shown in the tables below.

  Percentage of Businesses for Which More Than 50% of Sales (by Value) are Ordered Online.

  
 US
4.4  Sweden
3.8  Japan
3.2  Scotland
3.0  Australia
2.9  Rep of Ireland
2.7  Canada
2.4  UK
2.3  Germany
2.2  Italy
1.5  France
0.8 

  Percentage of Businesses for Which More Than 50% of Supplies (by Value) are Ordered Online.

  
 US 7.0
 Canada
6.4  Scotland
5.8  Germany
5.1  Sweden
5.0  Australia
5.0  Japan
4.6  Rep. of Ireland
4.4  UK
4.0  France
3.4  Italy
2.9 

  Source: Scottish Enterprise e-business benchmarking survey 2001.

Digital Technology

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many multi-national companies there currently are in Scotland and how many there were in each of the last 10 years, detailing in each case whether the company located its headquarters in Scotland.

Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally.

Direct Payments Scotland

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit of Direct Payments Scotland is and how it proposes to highlight the use of direct payments.

Mr Frank McAveety: Direct Payments Scotland (DPS) aims to increase awareness of direct payments amongst community care service users and their carers, local authorities, service providers and support organisations. DPS will help establish and develop both local user-led support organisations and a national good practice exchange. DPS is working closely with local and national support organisations and local authority staff to identify and address training needs.

  DPS is highlighting direct payments through a national information service, including website, regular newsletters, seminars, training events and visits to local support organisations and local authorities. DPS is also working with national organisations, such as Age Concern Scotland, to help increase awareness of direct payments.

Drug Misuse

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in liasing with Her Majesty’s Government to implement new powers to seize the assets of drug dealers.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 received Royal Assent on 24 July. The act enhances the powers to confiscate assets following conviction, strengthens police powers of investigation, introduces new powers of civil recovery and cash seizure, and allows for the taxation of suspected criminal assets.

  It is intended to implement the new cash seizure powers in December 2002, and the bulk of the rest of the act in February 2003. To this end, a major implementation programme is well under way, involving relevant officials and agencies across the UK. Scottish Executive and Crown Office officials are represented on the Home Office Implementation Group, and a separate Scottish implementation group has also been set up.

  In particular, the existing Crown Office Criminal Confiscation Unit will be strengthened and a new Civil Recovery Unit set up. There will also be a major training exercise involving Procurators Fiscal, Police and Customs and Excise officers.

Emergency Services

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect emergency service crews from attack.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive is very concerned about attacks on emergency service personnel and I am sure that this Parliament joins me in condemning this totally unacceptable behaviour. We want those involved to be detected and apprehended by the police and dealt with firmly by the courts. The Executive is arranging a seminar this autumn which will bring together a wide range of professionals to identify how we might impact on those "hard to reach" groups who indulge in this kind of behaviour.

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits would accrue to the economy from the development of the aquaculture industry.

Allan Wilson: Scotland produces in the region of 150,000 tonnes of aquaculture products which constitute some 40% of Scottish food exports. The principal benefit of developing this market would be the creation of jobs in areas where other sources of employment are not readily available.

Ferry Services

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will it take to speed up the tendering process for the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service to facilitate the marketing of the route for next year’s tourist season.

Iain Gray: We will shortly consult key local interests on the draft Service Specification, which will include the requirement that a detailed marketing plan be submitted.

Fuel Poverty

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it arrived at its recently announced target for eliminating fuel poverty.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive is committed to ending fuel poverty by 2016 and has set an interim target that the number of households in fuel poverty will fall by 30% between 2002 and 2006. This target was set following discussions with the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group which includes as members the energy companies, COSLA, Friends of the Earth, Energy Action Scotland, Help the Aged, Age Concern, the Energy Saving Trust, Ofgem, energywatch and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations. The target is subject to review in 2003 when information from the 2002 Scottish House Condition Survey becomes available.

Further Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to improve industrial relations in further education colleges.

Iain Gray: Industrial relations and employment issues within further education colleges, which are autonomous bodies in terms of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992, are for the colleges themselves to address. I do of course expect college managers to foster good industrial relations, which are crucial to the delivery of an efficient and effective service to the public.

Further and Higher Education

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in encouraging young people to remain in education beyond the age of 16.

Iain Gray: Since 1999, a number of initiatives have been introduced to encourage young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to remain in education. These include the Education Maintenance Allowance pilot programme, the Young Student Retention Fund for Further Education Students and the Young Students Bursary Fund for Higher Education Students.

  The overall proportion of young people staying on at school beyond fourth year or going on to further or higher education has increased since 1999.

General Practitioners

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been put in place by each NHS board to assist in the provision of GP out-of-hours services; what amount of each board's budget has been used for the provision of such services in each of the last three years, and how much it estimates such services will cost in the (a) current year and (b) next two years.

Malcolm Chisholm: All GPs are eligible for an annual payment (currently £2,510) for providing out-of-hours services and for a night visit fee (currently £25.10) for each face to face consultation carried out between the hours of 10pm and 8am. These fees and allowances are prescribed in the Statement of Fees and Allowances payable to GPs and are paid from the NHS Board’s General Medical Services demand-led budget.

  In addition, NHS Island Boards and Primary Care Trusts assist in the provision of out-of-hours services in their area by providing funding from the Out of Hours Development Fund. The fund forms part of the overall cash limited budget given to boards each year. The following table provides a breakdown of each area’s expenditure on out-of-hours services from the development fund over the last three years. The table also shows the estimated expenditure for the current year. Information on the estimated costs for the next two years is not available.

  Breakdown of NHS Board Expenditure On Out-Of-Hours Provision

  
 Primary Care Trust/ Island NHS Board
1999-2000 2000-01
2001-02 2002-03Forecast 
Expenditure  Argyll and Clyde
510,890 584,508
543,384 522,000
 Ayrshire and Arran
750,490 747,075
819,289 792,058
 Borders
192,342 215,650
226,841 243,009
 Dumfries and Galloway
320,784 377,615
426,766 374,932
 Fife 353,767
410,455 421,900
437,000  Forth 
Valley 297,592
303,419 370,084
334,000  Grampian
555,530 611,709
708,455 732,000
 Greater Glasgow
1,803,000 1,496,188
1,531,000 1,567,000
 Highland
343,508 406,386
429,841 305,000
 Lanarkshire
496,384 507,019
511,740 567,000
 Lothian
1,506,791 1,549,537
1,669,086 1,645,645
 Orkney NHS Board
35,411 43,567
33,395 41,000
 Shetland NHS Board
23,944 22,782
23,272 29,000
 Tayside
404,794 459,181
520,727 549,600
 Western Isles NHS Board
54,265 45,500
47,000 47,000
 Scotland Total
7,649,492 7,780,591
8,282,780 8,186,244

Genetically Modified Crops

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce its decision on the application for a field scale trial of winter GM oilseed rape at Newport-on-Tay.

Ross Finnie: I am currently considering this matter and will make an announcement shortly.

Genetically Modified Crops

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the public debate on GM issues announced by Her Majesty’s Government on 31 May 2002 will also take place in Scotland and, if so, how many organisations and individuals based in Scotland will be appointed to the steering board.

Ross Finnie: Yes. The Scottish Executive, on behalf of the other devolved administrations, has responded to the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC) proposals for a public debate in advance of decisions on the possible commercialisation of GM crops. The response, which will be published on the AEBC website, makes clear that the public debate must encompass all areas of the UK and enable distinct regional views and values to be heard.

  Ministers have accepted the AEBC recommendation for the appointment of a steering board independent of government to oversee the debate. Appointments to the board are not the responsibility of government but will aim to reflect the need to maintain diversity and to have a balance of views and opinions from all sides of the GM debate and from around all regions of the UK. The membership of the steering board and the format for the debate will be announced, by the AEBC Chairman, in due course.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what priority the Scottish Executive gives to healthy eating.

Mr Jack McConnell: The link between Scotland’s poor diet and its poor record on health are clear, which is why we are actively promoting healthy eating in our drive to improve the health of people in Scotland.

Hospitals

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to publish full details of the (a) best public private partnership bid for the Stonehouse Hospital and (b) public sector option for the hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: Revised guidance HDL(2002)49 was issued to the service earlier this year reminding NHS trusts and boards that key documents relating to all Business Cases must be made publicly available and that it is the responsibility of the NHS body to do so.

  With regard to the proposed new hospital at Stonehouse, the Scottish Executive will ensure that Lanarkshire Primary Care Trust comply with the terms of this circular by requiring confirmation from the trust that they have undertaken the required actions.

Local Government Finance

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether East Dunbartonshire Council has been awarded the maximum available funding of £150,000 towards the creation of an outline business case for its application for funding for schools and for what this funding is expected to be used.

Nicol Stephen: We announced on 25 June 2002 that up to £150,000 is available to each of a number of authorities which had not previously been allocated financial support to assist with the development of an Outline Business Case for a schools public private partnership project. East Dunbartonshire Council bid for, and were allocated, £125,000 from an earlier round of support for the same purpose, on which decisions were announced in February 2001.

NHS Staff

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to end low pay in the health service in Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is committed to addressing low pay in the context of the UK national negotiations on pay modernisation.

Nursery Education

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it expects local authorities to administer funds allocated for the provision of nursery places.

Cathy Jamieson: Under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act (2000) from 1 April this year local authorities were placed under a duty to secure a free part-time pre-school education place for all three- and four-year-olds whose parents wish one.

  To assist them in meeting their new duty, resources amounting to £137 million were re-integrated into the local government settlement from financial year 2002-03. Authorities are now able to use the range of resources including pre-school grant, nursery education funding, Sure Start and the Childcare Strategy in an integrated way in order to purchase or provide the required range of services for children.

Nursery Education

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made over the summer towards its target for provision of nursery places.

Cathy Jamieson: The Programme for Government target was to provide a pre-school place for all three- and four-year-olds whose parents wish such a place by 2002. I announced the latest figures, for academic year 2001-02, on 21 August. They show that 96% of four-years-olds and 85% of three-year-olds are participating in pre-school education.

  You will recall that the scheme is voluntary and some parents will not want their children to take part. It is envisaged that the levels announced last month equate to full participation.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27254 by Mr Jim Wallace on 29 July 2002, how many and what percentage of remand prisoners were held in prisons (a) in total and (b) broken down by prison on (i) 31 January, (ii) 31 March and (iii) 30 June 2002.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information is given in the table:

  Number of Remand Prisoners in Penal Establishments, by Establishment (Provisional Figures)

  
 Establishment
31 January 2002
31 March 2002
30 June 2002 
Number Per 
cent Number
Per cent Number
Per cent 
Barlinnie 406
38.2 440
39.9 497
38.9  Aberdeen
68 6.4
41 3.7
89 7.0
 Cornton Vale
54 5.1
60 5.4
64 5.0
 Dumfries
18 1.7
26 2.4
30 2.3
 Edinburgh
206 19.4
220 20.0
248 19.4
 Greenock
94 8.8
90 8.2
112 8.8
 Inverness
39 3.7
36 3.3
47 3.7
 Perth
102 9.6
95 8.6
92 7.2
 Polmont
1 0.1
14 1.3
23 1.8
 Kilmarnock
75 7.1
80 7.3
77 6.0
 Total
1,063 100
1,102 100
1,279 100

Public Private Partnerships

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the use of the not-for-profit trusts as a vehicle for increasing investment in public services.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive has been supporting developing work by Partnerships UK for some time with Argyll and Bute Council. Good progress has been made with the council in developing a variant model, founded on the standard public private partnership (PPP) model, but dealing with the issues of internal distribution of surpluses (i.e. non-profit distributing) and stakeholder involvement. The 25 June announcement of over £1 billion in schools infrastructure by Cathy Jamieson supported this project with revenue support for an investment value of £80 million.

  However, the test of whether this model will work lies in a live procurement situation, and the funding announcement now allows Argyll and Bute, supported financially by the Executive and with the continued expertise of Partnerships UK, to enter the procurement stages. It will take about a year for that process to reach the stage where we can properly assess whether this variant model has been successful as a new delivery vehicle.

  The Executive evaluated the SNP’s Scottish Investment Trust proposal last year. Whilst it had in principle the advantage of aggregating borrowing to lever in more competitive lending rates, the proposal was flawed in claiming that a private sector trust would be able to access borrowing rates at the same low rates as Government itself. If to achieve this the Government had to act as guarantor to the trust, then loans to the trust would count as public expenditure and assets created would score as on the public sector balance sheet. If that were the result, then some key advantages of PPP would be negated. Also, there were unanswered questions about issues such as control over appointments as trustees, and accountability over such a powerful funding body influencing public infrastructure investment.

  Other trust models claiming to be based on not-for-profit objectives have been publicised. However, to date none has been submitted for consideration of revenue support from the Executive. Unless new issues emerge, and until it is ready for wider application in due course, the Executive will continue to focus its interest in new developments efficiently and with strong technical support in the Argyll and Bute model.

Renewable Energy

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will meet its new targets for renewable energy.

Ross Finnie: The Renewables Obligation Scotland, introduced earlier this year, is resulting in a number of developers applying for consent to build new renewable generating plant. We expect this level of interest to continue and to increase. We will work with developers, planners, the energy industry and the economic development agencies to ensure that we fully exploit Scotland’s natural resource and realise the opportunity for Scotland to become a world leader in renewable technology.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have now been identified as eligible for a share of the Scottish Transport Group Pension Fund schemes and whether this number is in excess of the planning figure of 17,000.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Public Pensions Agency has identified 13,336 former members who will be eligible for a share of the surplus.

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of eligible claimants in respect of the Scottish Transport Group Pension Fund Schemes will have any impact on the (a) time it will take to make payments and (b) level of the payments.

Lewis Macdonald: (a) In anticipation of the volume of work expected, the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) have dedicated staff solely for processing Scottish Transport Group payments. Eligible claimants received a letter, which included a calculation of the ex-gratia payment. A booklet detailing the calculations accompanied the letter. This booklet also included forms for individuals to complete for bank transfers. Payments will be actioned when the SPPA has received the completed forms.

  (b) The level of payments will be based on individuals’ pension details as of October 1993. Payments will be made in two tranches to ensure provision for any beneficiaries coming forward at a later date, with most of the payment made in the first tranche.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects registers of interest for social inclusion partnership board members to be available for public scrutiny.

Hugh Henry: 31 December 2002.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities (a) have not set up registers of interest for social inclusion partnership board members and (b) do not currently have such a register available for public scrutiny.

Hugh Henry: The following local authorities (a) have not yet set up registers of interest for social inclusion partnership board members and (b) do not yet have such a register available for public scrutiny:

  
 Aberdeen
Falkirk Renfrewshire
 Argyll and Bute
Fife Scottish Borders
 Clackmannan
Glasgow Stirling 
East Lothian Inverclyde
West Dunbarton  East 
Renfrew North Ayrshire
West Lothian  Edinburgh
Perth and Kinross


  As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-27963 today, it is expected that all these authorities will have the required registers of interest available by 31 December 2002.

Teacher Training

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance it will make available to education authorities to ensure that no teacher undergoing a probationary period of training will have his or her temporary contract ended in order to create a place for a student undertaking the new induction year.

Nicol Stephen: Deployment of staff is a matter for local authorities and information on the use of temporary contracts is not held centrally.

  It is clear from our general discussions with local authorities that a large number of temporary contracts have always come to an end, for a variety of reasons, at the end of the school session. It is also clear that many of these teachers secure work early in the new session as vacancies arise and supply cover needs emerge. We have no reason to expect any change to this pattern and will be monitoring the impact of the Teacher Induction Scheme on existing probationers closely.

  Funding has already been agreed to assist in the implementation of the Teacher Induction Scheme and there are no plans to make any additional distribution to local authorities.

Water Supply

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it can take to ensure that Scottish Water fulfils its promise to eradicate the odour problem in the Kirkcaldy constituency by the agreed September 2002 deadline.

Ross Finnie: Scottish ministers may direct Scottish Water in the exercise of its functions using powers contained in section 56(3) of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act. I am aware of problems with odour at the new treatment works at Kirkcaldy. This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. I understand work is in hand to identify and resolve the problem, including the installation of improved deodorising units by early October 2002.

Water Supply

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date Scottish Water first became aware of high levels of the cryptosporidium parasite in the water supply serving parts of Glasgow.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Water first became aware of increased levels of cryptosporidium in the Glasgow water supply on Friday 2 August. This information was immediately passed on to Greater Glasgow NHS Board. However, it was not until levels increased further on Saturday 3 August that the health board decided that there was a significant risk to the health of the general public.

Water Supply

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Water allowed a significant interval of time to elapse between the discovery of the cryptosporidium parasite in the water supply serving parts of Glasgow and the relaying of this information to any residents affected.

Ross Finnie: It is the responsibility of Greater Glasgow NHS Board to determine the significance of increased levels of cryptosporidium in water supplies in the Glasgow area. The health board is also responsible for the nature and timing of any advice relayed to residents in the affected area regarding increased levels of cryptosporidium.

Water Supply

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information Scottish Water has on how the contamination of the water supply in parts of Glasgow through high levels of the cryptosporidium parasite occurred.

Ross Finnie: It is thought that the exceptionally heavy rain during week commencing 29 July caused increased levels of cryptosporidium to enter the Glasgow water supply, but the Incident Control Team chaired by Greater Glasgow NHS Board will produce a full report on the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Water Supply

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what means are being employed by Scottish Water to tackle the contamination of the water supply in parts of Glasgow.

Ross Finnie: The principal source of the contamination was Mugdock reservoir. Scottish Water altered the distribution system to avoid using water from Mugdock reservoir until the levels of cryptosporidium in the reservoir fell to an acceptable level.

  In the longer term, Scottish Water has given Scottish ministers an undertaking to reduce the risk of cryptosporidium entering the Glasgow water supply by constructing a new water treatment works by the end of 2005.

Water Supply

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy Scottish Water will implement to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of the recent contamination of the water supply in parts of Glasgow.

Ross Finnie: No guarantee can be given that there will not be a recurrence of the recent contamination of the Glasgow water supply. The risk of contamination is the same as it has been for over 100 years and it will not be reduced until the existing treatment works at Milngavie has been replaced. Scottish Water has given Scottish ministers a commitment to build a new works by the end of 2005.

  In the meantime, the cryptosporidium direction requires that Scottish Water continuously monitors for cryptosporidium at Milngavie and immediately alerts the health authorities to any detection of the parasite in the water.